Heat treating basket



L. C. BIXBY April 20, I965 HEAT TREATING BASKET Filed Dec. 5, 1962 INVENTOR. LEON C. B/XBY H/S HTTUENEYS 3,179,393 Patented Apr. 20, 1965 3,179,393 HEAT TREATING BASKET Leon C. Bixby, Fairgrounds Road, Wellington, Ohio Filed Dec. 5, 1962, Ser. No. 242,459 1 Claims. (Cl. 263-47) This invention relates to a heat treating basket and more particularly to an improved basket construction of the type having an open lattice framework, the open areas of which are subdivided with looped wire elements, however, the invention is notnecessarily so limited.

In many heat treating operations, it is the practice to employ a basket or tray formed of a lattice framework of rods or wires having large open areas to support the articles being heat treated. Such framework is typically formed by laying straight intersecting rod elements one over the other, then welding theirods together at their points of contact. In the heat treating art, however, the

welded areas are repeatedly exposed to extreme heating.

and cooling conditions which stress the welded joints and frequently cause failure of such joints before the basket has endured its normal life expectancy.

An object of the present invention is to provide an improved welded joint for use in heat treating baskets.

The large open areas provided by the Welded framework of the basket are desirable for two basic reasons, one, to enable free passage of heated liquids and/or gases into the basket and around the articles contained therein, and the other to reduce the Weight of the basket as much as possible. Frequently, the large open areas of the basket are partially filled or subdivided by wires ofsmaller diameter than the rods or wires which form the basic framework of the basket, Such wires adapt the basket for supporting articles which would ordinarily pass freely through the large open areas of the basket without adding an excessive weight to the basket. For the treatment of extremely small articles, a still further adaptation is sometimes made by placing a fine mesh metallic screen inside the basket in covering relation. to the open areas thereof. j. a

In the past, it has been found that the use of screens in the heat treating operation as described is only partially successful, for thereason that the weight of the articles supported by the screen deforms the screen by pressing same into any large open areas of the lattice framework of the basket. This deformation of the screen is repeated each time the screen is employed in the heat treating operation, frequently at different-points in the screen, resulting in a working of the strands which com:

prise the screen and leadingto premature failure of the permits the stacking of one tray upon another with the aid of stacking bars, as disclosed herein. a

Still another object of the present invention is to provide a heat treating basket or tray having a load supporting surface which is adapted to support a load confining screen with minimum distortion of the strands of the.

screen and which is also adapted to give optimum support to stacking bars which may be placed on the basket or tray for the support of additional baskets or trays.

Other objects and advantages reside in the construction of parts, the combination thereof, the method of manufacture and the mode of operation, as will become more apparent from the following description.

Referring to the drawing, FIGURE 1 is a fragmentary, perspective view with portions broken away, illustrating.

the constructional features of the heat treating basket of the present invention. Also illustrated in fragmentary detail in this figure is a load supporting screen which may be placed on the floor of the basket. 7

FIGURE 2 is a fragmentary sectional view, taken substantially along the line 2-2 of FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 3 is a sectional view taken substantially along the line 33 of FIGURE 1 andjillustrates in phantom detail the stacking of one basket upon another basket.

FIGURE 4 is a fragmentary, perspective view illustrating a welded joint employed in the basket of FIGURE 1.

Referring to the drawing in greater detail, the basket of FIGURE 1 includes a base or floor comprising a first layer of parallel support rods 10 and a second overlying layer .of support rods 12 which extend transversely to the support rods 10.v The rods 10 and 12 cooperate to form an open lattice framework in the floor of the basket.

As best seen in FIGURES 3 and 4, the transverse overlying rods 12 have upwardly arched portions 14 at spaced intervals therein, which are adapted to receive the support rods 10 thereunder. One function performed by the upwardly arched portions 14 is to establish an elongated area of substantial contact between the rods 10 and 12, enabling formation of an improved welded joint between the two rods. Specifically, the welded joint is formed by welding continuously across the upper surfaces of the rod 10 on both sides of the arched portion 14, asshown atlSa and 15b, and by continuing the weld under the arched portion 14 on both sides of the rod 10, as designated by the reference numerals 15c and 15d. The result is an endless welded seam embracing substantial areas of both "the rods 10 and 12. This type of welded seam is employed at eachsite in the floor of the basket where the rods 1%) and 12 cross, providing exceptionally durable welded jointsbetween such rods.

A second function performed by the arched portions 14 relates to the establishmentofauniform supporting sur- -face in the floor at the basket.

porting surface, wire elements 16, having a diameter smaller. than that of the rods 10 and 12 and extending parallel to the rods 10, are looped downwardly about the straight portions of the rods 12, which flank the arched portions 14 therein. These wire elements 16 serveto partially fill or subdivide the comparatively large rectangular areas defined by the rods 10 and 12 in the floor of the basket.

t In order to establish a uniform load supporting surface for the floor of the basket, the arched portions 14 and the rods 12 are caused to project upwardly from the intervening or flanking straight portions of the rods 14a distance which substantially equals the diameter of the wire elements 16. Thus, the uppermost surfaces of the wire elements 16 and of the arched portions 14 occupy a common plane.

End and side wallsfor the basket are formed by turning the opposite ends of the rods 18 and 12 upwardly. Side margins for the door of the basket are formed by Wire or rod elements 28 which extend parallel to the support rods 16 and which are. welded in a common In forming such sup-.

plane with the support rods to outside surfaces of the upturned ends of the support rods 12. To increase the area of these welded joints, the outer surfaces of the upturned ends of the support rods 12 are peened to form an arcuate cradle 21, in which the rod elements nest. Upturned ends of the rod elements 20 form corner posts for the basket. 1

The upturned ends of the rods 10 and 12 and of the marginal rod elements '20 cooperate to support in an elevated position a rectangular frame 26 having substantially the size and shape of the floor of the basket. The frame 26, which is rendered continuous by welding, is also secured to the upturned ends of the rods 10, 12 and 20 by welding. V

.The ends of the frame 26 are arched upwardly, as illustrated at 28, to form handles, with which the basket may be conveniently. attached to a lifting device. The sides of the frame 26. have spaced downwardly arched portions 30 which serve to cradle stacking bars, as will be described more fully subsequently. The downwardly arched portions -3tl are approximately centered above pairs of support rods 12 in the floor of the basket and are reinforced by turning the upturned ends of such pairs of support rods, laterally under the downwardly arched portions to form triangular braces, as shown at 32. v V

Welded to the opposite ends of the basket near the floor level thereof are transverse bumpers or push bars 40, by means of which baskets may be engaged with driving elements for moving the baskets through a heat treating zone.

The subject basket is designed for use in association with stacking bars through the aid of which two or more baskets may be stacked one on top of the other. The stacking bars, asbest shown in FIGURES 1 and 2, each comprise a rod 42 of sufficient length to span the basket from side to side. These rods 42 are adapted to seat in oppositely disposed downwardly arched portions 30 of the frame 26. Collars 50, welded or press-fitted on the ends of therods .42, prevent longitudinal sliding movement of the rods when the rods are seated in the downwardly arched portions 30. Each rod 42 is supported against downward flexure by means of triangular braces or pedestals 44 welded to the rod 42 at spaced intervals along the length thereof and extending normal to the axis thereof. 'In the embodiment illustrated, each of two stacking bars is provided with two triangular braces 44, so positioned along the length of their respective rods 42 that the bases of the braces 44arealigned with the'support rods 10 in the floor of the basket and, accordingly, overlie arched portions 14 in the support rods 12 of the basket when the stacking bars are assembled on the basket. Due to this alignment of parts, the stacking bars derive support directly from the support rods in the floor of the basket.v

FIGURE 3, which is a sectional view of the basket of FIGURE 1, illustrates in phantom detail a second basket stacked on the first basket with the aid of the stacking bars; In thisfigure, it can be observed that the support rods 10a of the upper basket rest on the rods 42 of the stacking bars. It canalso be observed that the rods 20a,

' which form' the side margins of the floor of the upper basket, ,reston the upper surfaces of the sides of the frame 26 in the, lower basket. .The support rods 10a of the upperbasket also rest on the ends of the frame 26 of the lower basket, where these ends are supported by the upturned ends of the support rods 10 in the lower basket.

The handles 28. of the lower basket project upwardly into the floor ofthe upper basket adjacent the bumpers 40a of the upper basket and, accordingly, do not interfere with the stacking. I

' In numerous applications for the heat treating basketof the present invention, particularly when very small parts are to be heat treated, it is desirable to line the floor and walls of the basket with a fine mesh screen 18. The present basket is particularly well suited for use 4 with a screen since the upper surfaces of the wires 16 and of the arched portions 14 in the floor of the basket occupy a common plane and provide numerous points of support for the screen in closely spaced relation, thereby minimizing any tendency of the screen to bend downwardly under the weight of a load placed thereon. Since the triangular braces 44 of the stacking bars are aligned with arched portions 14 in the support rods 12 located in the floor of the basket, any load applied to the stacking bars is transmitted directly through the screen to the support rods 12 and there will be no appreciable bending force applied to the screen due to the stacking of baskets one on top of the other.

In the preferred embodiments of the present invention, the basket may be fabricated with rod and wire elements which are fabricated frornsteel or heat resistant alloys, such as Inconel.

, Although the preferred embodiment of the device has been described, it will be understood that within the purview of this invention various changes may be made in the form, details, proportion and arrangement of parts, the combination thereof and mode of operation, which generally stated consist in a device capable of carrying out the objects set forth, as disclosed and defined in the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. In a tray adapted to support a flexible sheet which in turn is adapted to support objects to be processed as by heat treating or thelike, a floor structure comprising upper and lower supporting rods arranged in superposed upper and lowerlayers, each layer having substantially parallel rods of .equal diameter therein, the upper rods extending generally transverse to the lower rods and each upper rod having longitudinally spaced upwardly arched member.

portions which receive the lower rods thereunder, the uppermost surfaces of said arched portions occupying substantially a common first plane, theuppermost surfaces of the portions of said upper rods which flank said arched portions occupying substantially a common second plane spaced a predetermined distance below said first plane, a plurality of Wire elements extending transversely of the upper rods and generally parallel to the lower rods, said wire elements being disposed generally above said second plane and being secured to the flanking portions of the upper rods, said wire elements having a diameter whichis smaller than the diameter of said support rods and which is substantially equal to said predetermined distance whereby the uppermost surfaces of said wire elements. are disposed substantially insaid first plane, the uppermost surfaces of said wire elements cooperating withthe uppermost surfaces of said arched portions to provide a uniform supporting surface for said sheet 2. In a tray, the assembly according to claim 1, wherein said wire elements have longitudinally spaced looped portions encircling the flanking portions of the upper rods wherebysaid wire elements are secured to said upper rods. I

3. In a tray adapted to support objects to be processed as by heat treating or the like, a floor structure comprising upper and lower supporting rods arranged in superposed upper and lower layers, each, layer having substantially parallel rods of equal diameter therein, the upper rods extending generally transverse to the lower rodsv and each. upper rod having longitudinally spaced upwardly arched portions which receive the lower rods thereunder, and an endless welded seam joining each arched portion to the rod received thereunder, said welded seam extending along and engaging opposite sides of each said arched portion with the upper portion of the rod thereunder and continuing under each said arched portion to engage opposite sides of the rod thereunder. 4. In a tray adapted to support a flexible sheet which in turn is adapted to support objects to be processed as by heat treating or the like, a floor structure comprising upper rod having longitudinally spaced upwardly arched portions which receive the lower rods thereunder, an endless welded seam joining each arched portion to the rod received thereunder, said welded seam extending along and engaging opposite sides of each said arched portion with the upper portion of the rod thereunder and continuing under each said arched portion to engage opposite sides of the rod thereunder, the uppermost surfaces of said arched portions occupying substantially a common first plane, the uppermost surfaces of the portions of said upper rods which flank said arched portions occupying substantially a common second plane spaced a predetermined distance below said first plane, a plurality of wire elements extending transversely of the upper rods and generally parallel to the lower rods, said wire elements being disposed generally above said second plane and being secured to the flanking portions of the upper rods, said wire elements having a diameter which is smaller than the diameter of said support rods and which is substantially equal to said predetermined distance whereby the uppermost surfaces of said wire elements are disposed substantially in said first plane, theuppermost surfaces of said wire elements cooperating with the uppermost surfaces of said arched portions to provide a uniform supporting surface for said sheet member.

a 5. A tray structure adapted to support objects to be treated, as by heat treating or the like, and further adapted to support a stacking barwith which an additional tray can be mounted thereon, said stacking bar being of the type comprising an elongate rod of suflicient length to span the tray structure from side to side, said tray structure including a floor comprising a group of lower rods arranged in spaced parallel generally coplanarrelation, a group of spaced upper rods superposed on said lower rods and extending transversely thereof, and a generally rectangular frame conforming substantially to the shape of said floor, said upper and lower rods having upturned ends supporting said frame and forming a peripheral wall surround said floor, said frame having opposite sides extending substantially parallel to one of said groups of upper and lower rods, said sides each having a downwardly arched portion therein adapted to receive the elongate rod of said stacking bar therein, said downwardly arched portions being disposed above and adjacent one of the rods in the other of said groups of upper and lower rods, the opposite ends of said one rod engaging the downwardly arched portion of said frame thereabove whereby said upturned ends of said one rod brace said downwardly arched portions of said frame.

6. A tray structure adapted to support objects to be treated, as by heat treating or the like, and further adapted to support a stacking bar with'which an additional tray can be mounted thereon, said stacking bar being of the type comprising an elongate rod of sufficient length to span the tray structure from side to side, said tray.

structure including a floor comprising a group of lower rods arranged in spaced parallel generally coplanar relation, a group of spaced upper rods superposed on said lower rods and extending transversely thereof, and a gen erally rectangular frame conforming substantially to the shape of said floor, said upper and lower rods having upturned ends supporting said frame and forming a peripheral wall surrounding said floor, said frame having opposite sides extending substantially parallel to one of said groups of upper and lower rods, said sides each having a downwardly arched portion therein adapted to receive the elongate rod of said stacking bar, said downwardly arched portions being disposed above and between a pair of rods in the other of said groups of upper and lower rods, the opposite ends of said rods in said pair being inclined to engagement with the downwardlyarched portions of said frame thereabove, whereby said upturned ends of said pair of rods cooperate'to brace said downwardly arched portions of said frame.

7. In combination, a tray structure adapted to support objects to be heat treated, as by heat treating or the like, and a detachablestacking bar with which an addi tional tray can be mounted thereon, said tray structure including a floor comprising a plurality of lower rods arranged in spaced parallel generally coplanar relation, a plurality of spaced upper rods superposed on said lower rods and extending transversely thereof, said upper rods having spaced upwardly arched portions along the length thereof, there being one arched portion on each upper rod for each of said lower rods, said arched portions re ceiving said lower rods thereunder, and a generally rectangular frame conforming substantially to the shape of said floor, said upper and lower rods having upturned ends supporting said frame and forming a peripheral wall surrounding said floor, said frame having opposite sides extending substantially parallel to said lower rods, said sides each having a downwardly arched portion therein, said stacking bar comprising an elongate rod spanning said tray structure from side toside and engaging in the downwardly arched portions in the opposite sides of said frame, said downwardly arched portions supporting said elongate rod above and adjacent one of said upper rods, said stacking bar having a pedestal depending from said elongate rod and said pedestal having a base adjacent said floor, said stacking bar including abutment means on said elongate rod disposed adjacent one of said downwardly arched portions of said frame and cooperating with said downwardly arched portion to position said base in overlying relation to an upwardly arched portion in said one upper rod, whereby said pedestal derives bearing support from the upwardly arched portion which underlies said base.

8. The combination according to claim 8 wherein said upturned ends of said one upper rod engage the downwardly arched portions of said frame thereabove, whereby said upturned ends of said one upper rod brace the downwardly arched portions of said frame.

9. In combination, a tray structure adapted to support objects to be treated, as by heat treating or the like, and a detachable stacking bar with which an additional tray can be mounted thereon, said tray structure including a floor comprisin a plurality of lower rods arranged in spaced parallel generally coplanar relation, a plurality of spaced upper rods superposed on said lower rods and extending transversely thereof, said upper rods having spaced upwardly arched portions along the length thereof, there being one arched portion on each upper rod for each of said lower rods, said arched portions receiving said lower rods thereunder, and a generally rectangular frame conforming substantially to the shape of said floor, said upper and lower rods having upturned ends supporting said frame and forming a peripheral wall surrounding said floor, said frame having opposite sides extending substantially parallel to said lower rods, said sides each having a downwardly arched portion therein, said stacking bar comprising an. elongate rod spanning said tray structure from side to side and engaging in the downwardly arched portions in the opposite sides of said frame, said downwardly arched portions supporting said elongate rod above and between an adjacent pair of said upper rods, said stacking bar having a pedestal dependy c i ing support from the upwardly arched portions which underlie said base j 10. The combination according to claim 6 wherein said upturned ends of said adjacent upper rods are each inclined to engagement with the downwardly arched portion of s aid frame t hereabove whereby said upturned ends of said adjacent up per IOd$ cooperate to brace the downwardiy arched portions of said frame.

References flied by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,559,695 4/25 Hatch 22019 2,807,454 3/55 Beadle 263 47 2,962,273 4/58 Moore 26347 2,979,323 5/58 Bixby 263-47 CHARLES SUKALO, Primary Examiner. 

5. A TRAY STRUCTURE ADAPTED TO SUPPORT OBJECTS TO BE TREATED, AS BY HEAT TREATING OR THE LIKE, AND FURTHER ADAPTED TO SUPPORT A STACKING BAR WITH WHICH AN ADDITIONAL TRAY CAN BE MOUNTED THEREON, SAID STACKING BAR BEING OF THE TYPE COMPRISING AN ELONGATE ROD OF SUFFICIENT LENGTH TO SPAN THE TRAY STRUCTURE FROM SIDE TO SIDE, SAID TRAY STRUCTURE INCLUDING A FLOOR COMPRISING A GROUP OF LOWER RODS ARRANGED IS SPACED PARALLEL GENERALLY COPLANAR RELATION, A GROUP OF SPACED UPPER RODS SUPERPOSED ON SAID LOWER RODS AND EXTENDING TRANSVERSERLY THEREOF, AND A GENERALLY RECTANGULAR FRAME CONFORMING SUBSTANTIALLY TO THE SHAPE OF SAID FLOOR, SAID UPPER AND LOWER RODS HAVING UPTURNED ENDS SUPPORTING SAID FRAME AND FORMING A PERIPHERAL WALL SURROUND SAID FLOOR, SAID FRAME HAVING OPPOSITE SIDES EXTENDING SUBSTANTIALLY PARALLEL TO ONE OF SAID GROUPS OF UPPER AND LOWER RODS, SAID SIDES EACH HAVING A DOWNWARDLY ARCHED PORTION THEREIN ADAPTED TO RECEIVE THE ELONGATED ROD OF SAID STACKING BAR THEREIN, SAID DOWNWARDLY ARCHED PORTIONS BEING DISPOSED ABOVE AND ADJACENT ONE OF THE RODS IN THE OTHER OF SAID GROUPS OF UPPER AND LOWER RODS, THE OPPOSITE ENDS OF SAID ONE ROD ENGAGING THE DOWNWARDLY ARCHED PORTION OF SAID FRAME THERABOVE WHEREBY SAID UPTURNED ENDS OF SAID ONE ROD BRACE SAID DOWNWARDLY ARCHED PORTIONS OF SAID FRAME. 